The Washington critic., 1887-01-25

him, and one expressed his satisfaction
that the box containing the greonbacks
was waterproof.
That's more than am, snid one of
the soldiers. This 'er rains got
through my roof. can feel 1t tricKle
down inside of me-"
The hand car was not propelled rap.
idly after that, but the lightning and
thunder worked harder than ever Per.
baps half mile had been gained, when
another voice, on the left this time, and
not so near, but equally honrse and
poremptory, shouted;
Other words which seemed to follow
were swallowed up by wide mouthed
clap of thunder, and so was the SER
geants prompt response, but In an in.
slant he was among the bushes.
The first we heard from him was:
Boys, IT'S up to my waist and get
ting deeper
go on, sergeant shouted one of
the paymasters, They'll be shooting
at us If they don't get an answer -
"llurrah for General Burnside
squawked the paymaster's clerk, In
vague effort TO let any supposed picket
know which side he was on; but Sc.
we're sternness from the farther end
babe him:
"Shut up Haiti Come along!'
"l'm coming" shouted the sergeant.
"Frlendl Paymaster"
Shut upl Come alongl" responded
the threatening voice beyond him.
For full quarter of an hour the ser.
goant groped and iloundered among
those bushes. Again he used strong
language very strong, indeed but not
soul came to meet him, nor did an
other word reply to his repeated re
quests that the picket should advise
him as TO what course he should take.
The party on the hand car covered
under sheets and torrents aud whole
mill ponds of fnlling water, and hoped
that there might be II cessation of the
lightning flashes, so that any hidden
rillemen would be less allie to shoot
straight.
81 give 1t up" said the voice of the
sergeant at last. He was only three
PAGES from the car, but he was inyisi.
bic.
The boys know who we are," said
one Of the soldiers, "and we can go on;
but it's an awful mean joke 10 play in
such a rain as this"
There's something more than tba'
in It," said one of the paymasters.
There's trap of some kind. Wen
never get to Morehead City,
wen go ahead, anyhow" said the
sergeant. There's as much danger
behind as there is before
I'm glad hurrahed for Burnside, "
remarked the paymaster's clerk.
On went the hand car into the water.
soaked darkness, and another mile or
more was rolled over before the way.
side summons was sonorously re.
peated.
Quick, now, sergeant" said the
senior paymaster.
Don't know, Major" he replied.
That fellows away into the swamp.
He's got under cover. couldn't even
find him. Risk it Boys, risk It Run
her ahead. They can't hit us If they do
fire."
"Halt !" came warningly out Of
the blackness as the hand car dashed
forward, and with 1t came thunder
that sounded like rattle Of mus.
kerry.
They didn't work their Joke this
"There's more than that in II, said
the Major. "Im glad we're past that
picket, but I'm afraid we're running
into trouble. They may have surprised
Morehead City and the fort"
Reckon not, Major. Run her your
level best, boys. We wont halt again
for anybody"
That was brave talk, but in less than
twenty minutes he exclaimed
Hold on, boys That picket is
right on the track. Stop her for your
livesl'
They did SO, as an ominous and
menacing throat repeated:
Halt Halt r. and from the rear, at
the same moment, other voices seemed
to say:
Got EN- Got em now !"
"Im afraid they have" groaned the
major, money and all, and we're on
our way TO Wilmington"
No use to hurrah for Burnside this
time" squeaked the paymas,er's clerk.
The sergeant ran ahead along the
track until he missed his footing in the
dark and went off into grimy depth
of water and black mud, just as some.
body said:
Who's thcre?" and he was trying
TO respond:
Friend, with the countersigu."
His mouth had too much in II for
success, and once more he used strong
aud very volcanic expressions as soon
as his vocal organs were at work again.
Then we heard him say:
Come along, boys! There isn't
anybody here, aud the waters six
inches deep over the track"
1t was a doleful mystery, and the
chance of being fired into grew grisly
enough, as the car was bubiously
urged forward.
The tierceness of the storm dimin.
ished, and thus, with great gust of
wind from Cape Hatteras, it ceased.
More wind came and swept away the
clouds. The moon came out gloriously,
and at that very moment the pay
masters clerk exclaimed:
"Quick, sergeant They could see
10 she OF now y
Halt Come along! Got eml Got
'em now Bully! Better mount Bet.
Ter mount
That was what II sounded like, but
the sergeant exclaimed:
Abraham Lincolnl If 1t doesn't
make five times that we've been halted
by those Confederate frogs"
In half an hour more we were all safe
in Morehead City, leaving the frogs to
play jokes on somebody else,- Boston
Globe.
THE ARMY AND NAVY.
leaves, Orders, Furloughs ana Per-